Vegan Christmas Donuts
Elevate your holidays with these baked vegan Christmas donuts! Decorated with the colors of the holiday season, these treats redefine festive indulgence. Paired with hot spiced apple cider, it’s a plant-based paradise!
I love waking up on Christmas morning to snow on the ground, festive holiday music, happy faces, and these plant-based Christmas Donuts. What’s not to love about a day that starts with donuts?
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Egg substitute — my go-to egg substitute for baked donuts is a flax seed egg, but a chia seed egg would work just as well.
- Fat — We’ll use vegan butter formulated for baking.
- Flour — I used all-purpose flour, but you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour or baking-quality gluten-free flour.
- Leaveners — Let’s combine baking powder and baking soda to make soft donuts.
- Spices — I add ground nutmeg to give these treats that distinctive donut flavor.
- Sugar — We’ll use a combination of granulated sugar for the donuts and powdered sugar for the icing.
- Milk — Use your favorite plant-based milk (vanilla-flavored or plain).
- Vinegar — We’ll add a bit of apple cider vinegar to react with the baking soda. You can substitute white vinegar or even lemon juice.
- Vanilla — I like including a bit of vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Cocoa powder — I prefer using natural cocoa powder, but you can use Dutch-process for a darker brown frosting.
- Food Coloring — You can make colored glazes by adding red and/or green food coloring to the white glaze.
- Decorations — Use a combination of Christmas sprinkles, red, green, and yellow candies, Vegan Candy Eyes, and pretzels.
Make it MORE Festive: Use this vegan red velvet donut recipe to create vibrant red donuts topped with the decorations below.
How to Make Christmas Donuts
- Stir together the dry ingredients from the flour to the nutmeg.
- Add the milk, vinegar, and flax egg and stir to combine.
- Distribute the batter in each donut compartment, filling each to the top.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the donuts are done and slightly golden colored on the top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
- Make both vanilla and chocolate glaze. Dip donuts in the glazes.
- Decorate the donuts immediately, before the glaze sets.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Can I make fried Christmas donuts?
Absolutely! While baked donuts are a healthier option, you can certainly make fried Christmas donuts. Prepare a simple vegan-friendly batter, heat your oil, and fry until golden brown. Just be mindful of the oil temperature to ensure a crispy exterior and a fully cooked interior.
How to decorate donuts for Christmas?
Decorating Christmas donuts can be a fun and creative process. Use festive glazes, sprinkles, and edible decorations like holly-shaped candies. Consider incorporating holiday colors like red and green to make your donuts beautiful. If you’re feeling artistic, you can also pipe festive designs using colorful icing.
Best Christmas Donuts Toppings
Adding the right toppings can turn your vegan Christmas donuts into a festive delight. Here are some ideas to consider:
- Maple Glaze and Pecans: Drizzle your donuts with a sweet maple glaze and sprinkle chopped pecans on top. It’s a classic combination that adds a rich, indulgent flavor.
- Cranberry Orange Zest: Give your donuts a burst of holiday freshness by topping them with a tangy cranberry glaze and a sprinkle of orange zest. The combination of flavors is both zesty and festive.
- Chocolate Peppermint Crunch: Dip your donuts in a luscious chocolate glaze and finish with crushed candy cane pieces. The contrast between the rich chocolate and the cool peppermint screams Christmas.
- Gingerbread Spice Dust: Dust your donuts with a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for a warm and comforting flavor reminiscent of gingerbread cookies.
- Christmas Sprinkles Donuts — Dip donuts in white or chocolate glaze. If you’re using the white glaze you can add stripes of red or green glaze for added color. Add Christmas sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
- Reindeer Donuts — Dip donuts in chocolate glaze, add two candy eyes, a red skittle nose, and mini pretzel antlers. If you only have large pretzels, you can cut them in half.
What to Serve with Baked Donuts
Pairing your vegan Christmas donuts with the right accompaniments enhances the overall experience. Here are some suggestions:
- Hot Spiced Apple Cider: Serve your donuts alongside a mug of hot, spiced apple cider. The warm, aromatic spices in the cider complement the sweet flavors of the donuts.
- Vegan Eggnog: Embrace the holiday spirit by serving donuts with a glass of dairy-free eggnog. It’s a creamy and festive beverage that perfectly complements the sweetness of the treats.
- Fresh Fruit Platter: Balance the richness of the donuts with a refreshing fruit platter. Sliced strawberries, kiwi, and pineapple add a burst of color and freshness.
Storage Tips
Store baked donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days. They can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
More Christmas Recipes
If you love this easy vegan Christmas Donuts recipe, you might want to try even more vegan Christmas recipes. Here are some of our favorites:
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Vegan Christmas Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup plant-based milk (vanilla-flavored or plain)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
White Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plant-based milk
- food coloring: red and green
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorations
- Christmas sprinkles
- Skittles (red, green, and yellow)
- Vegan Candy Eyes
- Pretzels
Instructions
For the Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray a donut pan with vegetable spray.
- In a small bowl, prepare the flax egg and set it aside.
- In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the vegan butter. Heat in a microwave until melted, around 20 seconds. Set aside.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center.
- Add the sugar, milk, vinegar, and flax egg. Stir to combine. (See notes for food coloring options).
- Stir the liquid mixture and the flour mixture together until combined.
- Use a spoon to evenly distribute the batter in each donut compartment, filling each to the top. This batter should fill up 6 compartments.
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the donuts are done and slightly golden colored on the top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
For the Glaze and Decorations:
- Make the Vanilla Glaze by combining the ingredients in a bowl. Stir to combine. Distribute a few spoonfuls into a second bowl and a few spoonfuls into a third bowl. Keep the larger bowl white, and add red food coloring to another bowl and green to the other. Stir until the food coloring is distributed throughout the glaze.
- For the chocolate glaze, combine the ingredients and a bowl and stir to combine.
- Dip each donut in your preferred glazes and then decorate them immediately. Here are some decoration options: 1) White base with colorful sprinkles, 2) White base with green stripes and colorful sprinkles, 3) White base with red and green stripes, 4) Chocolate base with Christmas sprinkles, 5) Chocolate base with candy eyes, red skittle nose, and pretzel antlers.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.